River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-03-10
THE BASILISK-
A STORY OF TODAY.
CHAPTEENxv.
A DESPERATE DEVICE.

on stra ghtforward, if not on equal
terms. Equal they certainly were not,
for was unarmed. not wen acquainted
with the ground, and considerably out
OF condition from the long and en-
forced inactivity Of the last four years;
while my enemies were on their own
ground, Inscriptions, as / TOO well
knew. and aware that their liberty.
their lives in al probability. depended
upon my captures and that now meant,
was convinced. my death.
l ran rashly, buoyantly, at top-speed
across the lava, as Imagined; but the
UnaccustOmed quarter from which l
had started. confused me; the thick
masses Ofcloud, which kept on remorse-
lessly GevOuring with dense blackness
the dazzling mother-o' pearl edges
with which the Sighted moon sought to
beautify her defeat. had rolled up an
impenetrabIe barrier of mysterious
darkness.
l stumbled and tripped. and ere
long. with di,mav, tiuged with a sense
of the riIirulouS, plunged head fore
most into thick bushes, whose plant
branches Tipped my face, while the
heavy autumn dew fell in a shower all
about me. | picked myself up. half
laughing at 50 ridiculous a mishap in
50 serious a crisis. l looked anxiouslv
about me. Those who have never
experienced what IL Is to be absolutely
deprived of ones bearings. even in a
familiar spot, viii have. perhaps. some
difficulty in rcalising the perplexing
nature of my position. Ii Is by no
means given to- every man to carry
about a self-Jcting compass in his in
ternal consciousness. as u Thick London
foe in a suburban district has shown t.
many clcar-headrd inhabitants Of
Greater London. Ridiculous as it may
seem, when | had gazcd about me, and
to some extent recovered from the
shock of my two falls. | could come to
no other conclusion than that / was
practically lost. ! had set off running
upon instinct. I fully imagined that /
making for the drive. which would have
shown me the road to safety. whatever
precautions / might have been driven
to adopt by the way. But having
landed myself IN some unknown bushes,
Twas fairly at a loss on extricating my
self. The sky was dark, the earth was
shruUded ia dead bIIckncsS. / could
dimlv make out in only one quarter the
looming outline Of biz tree. This
was no guide whatever. No tree that
had seen 10y daylight near Hanover
Lodge had a 1.-THE Of the vague vastness.
the mysterious majesty of the tree that
had evpJu led in the darkness. and as
simulated the iniuity of night.
TODD collecting all my senses in
thi supreme need.
Help came from the enemy.
A whistle. such As ! had heard as l
dropped from my prison, drew nv at
tentioG To- one quarter of the darkness,
whi-h from that moment. was no long
er without form and void. l gazed
steadily. Then there became visible
duh q -ht. rs Of lamp behind thick
and partially drawn blind. This was
better than nothing. but 1t told me
little. There surely. was the house. but
from what side or angle of the house
did that blurred light shine?
still waited. Nothing was " be
gained by a run in the dark. / waited,
feeling more keenly than ever. now
that tie excitement of the first futile
rush was over. the desperation of my
po-ition-the fate that awaited me if
captured.
suddenly I became aware of dissi-
patton of the darkness. Was il only
the effect of anxious straining of the
SIGHT iu the uHre>pOuSive medium? No.
The form of the clouds was again be-
coming apparent. Their FASHIONED out
lines again assumed significance Sud
deulv-more suddenly ] had dared
10 h1pc-ths dim and mI He'd moonlight
renewed the time of action for me and
for my pur~ucrS. / perceived that my
general idea had been correct, bJt that
had failed 10 allow for the circular
form If the. Lawn. Once more | set
out but. when I WAS well out of cover
If tile shrubs. | suddenly saw. within a
few varlS # me- the form of man
dart apparently from the bushes He
came -ttaight towards me. To hesitate
was to be- lost changed my couTS''.
r..d at Lim remembered soma ~
the football lore Of all times. and laid
him low with a hack which would have
reduced his usefulness in any match for
the next week. The loud cry of ''Help.'
which he uttered aS l closed with him
told me that il was Mr.. Beaufoy whOIa
I U.s. Il Ii
thick darkness again took possession Of
the scene. The light had disappeared
from the house. proceeded with eau
tion. but. confused 5y She collision and
the sudden change Of direction. | was
again 40 a loss in which direction TO
proceed. | cautiously made my way
10 the best 81 my ability. towards the
bushes. thinking that It would be safest
TO follow the line Of the boundary. in
order 10 leave me cover If the moon
should shine brightly and give my
pursUcrS chance. And vet l would
rather have had light and an idea which
way 10 go than enjoy the horrible Sc
curity Of the darkness. The railway
was my great idea If l could reach
the bridge and get down by the bank
NkhDA NlAC AAAlC AAA-AAl &c S-khNh- Duk
which way was the bridge? Suddenly
there broke upon my ear the scream of
a distant railway-whiStle. As if in
mockery Of lis promise Of guidance
and future safety it was
echoed by the fell sound of that
whistle from the house which was raj
lying the bl0odhounds upon my track
No matter. There was the suggestion
Of life. OF traffic. Of the wholesome
world outside. And more-as the pro
lOnged railwsy-whiStle grew rapidly
louder. saw in the distance the bright
light Of the steam illuminated BY the
FIRE through the open door Of the
engine-fGrnace. and with its shriu
call % triumph and its floating banner
of fire the night train sped rapidly on
its way. With my arm held out TO
guard my face if should run against
bushes OF trees, l set of st a round
pace towards the bridge.
Luckily for NE my course was ne